In an address to delegates of the nation鈥檚 largest teachers鈥� union today, Joe Biden promised that if he is elected president, teachers will have more say in how education decisions are made.
鈥淵ou will never find in American history a president who is more teacher-centric or more supportive of teachers than me,鈥� Biden told National 91制片厂视频 Association delegates on July 3. The presumptive Democratic nominee spoke via webcam during the NEA鈥檚 annual Representative Assembly, which is virtual this year.
鈥淭his is going to be a teacher-oriented Department of 91制片厂视频, and it鈥檚 not going to come from the top down鈥攊t鈥檚 going to come from the teachers up,鈥� he said.
The former vice president has previously pledged to nominate a former teacher to the position of U.S. Secretary of 91制片厂视频 if elected. Biden told educators that they are the 鈥渕ost important profession鈥� and deserve more respect.
鈥�91制片厂视频 should be put more in the hands of educators,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou should have more input on what you teach, how you teach it, and when you teach it. You are the ones in the classroom, you should have more input.鈥�
And while he acknowledged that much of school funding comes from the state and local level, he said teachers would get a 鈥渕ajor say鈥� in where and how the federal portion is spent.
The NEA, along with the other national teachers鈥� union, the , endorsed , although some members were dissatisfied with their union鈥檚 decision. NEA delegates will vote on endorsing Biden in the general election via mail-in ballots.
鈥淲e need a new president,鈥� NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garc铆a told delegates. 鈥淎nd we believe Joe Biden must be that new president. We need a president who on her first day in office. We need someone who will replace her with a Secretary of 91制片厂视频 who knows what she鈥檚 talking about. ... We need a president who loves our students and cares about all their lives and all their families and all the neighborhoods they live in.鈥�
During his address, Biden , which calls for tripling Title I funding to pay for teacher salary increases and more student supports, universal prekindergarten programs for 3- and 4-year-olds, and full federal funding within 10 years for the Individuals with Disabilities 91制片厂视频 Act.
鈥淏ottom line: When we win this election, you鈥檙e going to get the support you need,鈥� he said, adding that if he doesn鈥檛 follow through with his education plan, he鈥檒l be 鈥渟leeping alone in the Lincoln bedroom.鈥�
Jill Biden, who taught high school for 13 years and is now a community college professor, is an NEA member.
Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis
Biden slammed President Donald Trump鈥檚 response to the coronavirus pandemic several times, as well as the Senate鈥檚 refusal to consider the HEROES Act, which and would provide $58 billion in aid to local school districts.
Already, Biden said, hundreds of thousands of educators鈥� jobs have been lost since the start of the pandemic. Right now, that鈥檚 largely due to the fact that , but thousands of teacher layoffs as states cut their education budgets.
鈥淭his is absolutely unacceptable,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e already short the number of teachers we need nationally.鈥�
While there isn鈥檛 a national across-the-board teacher shortage, shortages do exist locally and in certain subjects, like special education and high school math and science. Also, enrollment at teacher-preparation programs has been steadily declining for the past few years.
Biden also called for schools to receive more funding so they can make accommodations鈥攍ike purchasing Plexiglass dividers鈥攖o safely reopen for in-person instruction. And, he said, every student needs access to broadband internet so they can participate in remote learning.
鈥淭here鈥檚 probably a high probability we鈥檒l have to continue with remote learning in some parts of the country for a while longer,鈥� Biden said.
Paula McConnell, an education support professional in Michigan, asked Biden what he would tell educators looking for leadership about how schools can reopen safely.
鈥淲e have to have a clear message based on science, based on what the experts tell us, and ... make sure to get the input from people who are in the field, in the classroom, in the buildings dealing with the problem,鈥� Biden responded. 鈥淧arents, including teachers, are not going to be able to go back to work until they鈥檙e sure their children鈥攆rom months old to 3- to 4-years-old鈥攁re able to be taken care of safely.鈥�
Turquoise Parker, a K-5 media specialist in North Carolina, asked Biden how he will fight racial inequities. Biden said he would fight for police reform and criminal justice reform so fewer people are sent to jail on drug charges. He also reiterated his call for more Title I funding, so that all schools could have access to Advanced Placement courses.
鈥淎s a kid, I used to stutter a lot,鈥� Biden said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not making it comparable to someone who is a young African American who has not been treated well or has been a victim of systemic racism. But I鈥檒l tell you one thing: Don鈥檛 ever talk down to these kids. When [adults] told me, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 OK,鈥� and finished my sentence for me, I said, 鈥業鈥檓 smart. I鈥檒l finish my sentence.鈥� These kids are capable of doing anything anybody else can do. Let鈥檚 not dumb it down. They鈥檙e incredibly capable. ... Children tend to turn out what you expect of them. Let鈥檚 show them the love and respect, and then the support.鈥�
Finally, Jimbo Lamb, a high school math teacher and the president of the southern region of the Pennsylvania State 91制片厂视频 Association, asked Biden how he鈥檒l unite a divided nation. Biden responded that throughout his career, he鈥檚 been able to bring Republicans and Democrats together.
鈥淲e can disagree, but we don鈥檛 have to be disagreeable,鈥� Biden said.
In a phone interview after the address, Lamb said he appreciated Biden鈥檚 answer. While Biden wasn鈥檛 his first choice in the primary鈥攈e supported Sen. Elizabeth Warren鈥擫amb said he will be voting for him in November.
鈥淗e definitely knows what educators need, both in the classroom and in the overall school community,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 often listened to us and gotten back to us.鈥�
And Biden鈥檚 pledge to name an educator as Secretary of 91制片厂视频 is key, Lamb said.
鈥淚n the past few years [with DeVos in the position], it鈥檚 been tougher to do what we need to do,鈥� he said.
Image: Screenshot of the NEA webcast 鈥擬adeline Will/91制片厂视频 Week